Card file



W. H. HALL.

CARD FILE.

APPLICATION men JULY 11. um.

1,316,719. PatentedSept. 23, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l E E EE W. H. HALL.

CARD FILE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY n. 1911 Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

3 SHEETS4-SHEET 2 'IHE COLUMBIA wumocmni c'o., WASHINDTON, u. c

W. H. HALL.

CARD FILE.

APPLICATION FILED .lULY H. 1917- v Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

3 $HEETS-SHEET 3.

rm: COLUMBIA PLANGGRM'H cm, wAsHINnrov. u. c.

WILLIAM H. HaLL, or CIOERO, ILLINOIS, Assiei'von. T Ko'I Lnit DIE & SPEcIALrY COMPANY, or DE KALB, IL IivoIs, A CORPORATION on ILLINOIS.

CARD-FILE.

Application'filed July 11, 1917.

To all whom it may concern: I r

Be it known that I, XVILLIAM H. HALL, a

citizen of the United States residing at Cicero, inthe countyoir' Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usei'ul Improvements in Card-Files, of which the fOllOWiIlg is a Specification.

The invention has-to do with the provision of a device for systematically filing namecards and other ranged plans, and the elements of the device have been designed with a: particular view to making it an economical and practical manufacturing built up of a adapted for assemblage in any desired quantitywhereby to produce a device of small. or large capacity at will.

The invention provides pockets of any desired depths and widths for holding cards,

- said pockets being formed between overlapping sheets of metal mounted in a simple and novel manner in vertical column or series, the vertical series being of greater or duplicated, or further multiplied. and advantageously also" ar ranged in multiple back to back. Thed eless height, horizontally,

vice presents an exceedingly compact arrangement of pockets, providing in readily accessible form accommodation for a maxi= mum number of cards in a given space.

In order that the invention may be readil understood, a preferred and modified embodiment of the same are setjforth in the accompanying drawing and in the followingdetailed description based thereon. Ob-

viously the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other and varied constructional forms without departure from the essence of the invention or the sacrifice of its material advantages; Wherefore it is to be under stoodthat the drawings and description are to be taken in an illustrative and not in an unnecessarily limiting sense. In the drawings- Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of the device;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the supporting wall or plate forming one element of the device;

Specification ofLettersPatent.

of Fig.

data according! to prear proposition, the device being number of unitary elements plate 29, these Serial No. 179,860.

of Fig. 2

7 Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line M Fig. 5 is Fig. 6 I

Fig; 6 is'a ofFig; 5; Fig 7 is a view showing in front elevat1on one of the division plates;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the channel form retaining member;

Fig. 9 is afront elevation of a slightly modifiedembodiment of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section through Fig. 9 illustrating the manner of assembling the division plate .Fig. 11 is a transverse vertical section a section on the line 5-501? on an enlarged scale showing the assembled relation of certain of the division plates and inserted cards; and i Fig. 12 is an enlarged cross section on the line 12-12 of Fi 9.

In Fig. 1 a:st.ndard 21 is represented as having attached thereto brackets 22and 23 for thepivotal support of the card file by means of pins 24 and 25 which tranSfiX an aperture in each of the brackets 2223 and similar apertures formed in the projecting wings 26, 2-7 of the cap plate. 28 and the base plates each being stamped from a single sheet of metal having wings 28 and 29 downturned to form amarginal housing for the device." The cap and base plates likewiseare provided with wings 28 and 29 downturned at the ends to embrace the retaining members 30 and 31, rods 32 and33 provided with nuts 82 and 33 serving to tie the same together.

Having its upper and lower ends housed respectively by the can and base plates 28 and 29 and its vertical edges housed by the retaining members 30 and 31 is a supporting Waller plate 34 provided with a vertical series of horizontally alined lugs 35 formed by stampingout the metal as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The support 34 is likewise provided with a vertical series of marginal tongues 36 forwardly bent to a position substantially perpendicular to the plane of the Patented Sept. 23, 1919 cross section on the line 6-6 Fig. 3' is a sectional view on the line 3-3 support. These outstanding tongues 36 are undercut as indicated at 37 to provide a slot immediately adjacent the support and the forward edge of the tongues are inclined or beveled as indicated at 38, the degree of inclination corresponding to that desired to be occupied by the division plate as will hereinafter more clearly appear.

A series of division plates 39 are provided as most clearly shown in its upper edge outturned as indicated at 39 and its lower edge inturned as indicated at 39", while the upper edge of the division plate is also preferably cut away as inclicated at 39 to facilitate the grasping of a card by the thumb and finger.

It will be observed that the outstanding tongues 36 of the support 34: are slightly spaced apart, the interspaces substantially corresponding horizontally with the lugs 35. Thedistance from the-bottom of one of the tongues 36 to the top of the next adjacent tongue thereabove is slightly greater than "the vertical slot 40 provided near each end It is apparent,

ofthe division plate 39, the length of the slot a0 being made to correspond substantially with the distance from the end of the notch .37 to the top of the tongue next above. therefore, as indicated in Fig. 5, that one of the division plates 39 may be placed with its slots &0 taking over twoof the outstanding tongues 36, with the lower wall 40 of the slot 4.0 engaged within the notch 37, in which position the upper body portion of the division plate .39 will rest against the inclined face 38 of the second tongue 36 above. When so placed, it

is obvious that the lower edge of the division plate 39 cannot 39 forwardly and immediately above that tongue within the slot of which the division plateis engaged. Beginning at the top of the support a plurality of these plates are assembled in the I same manner corresponding in number to the number of the outstanding tongues 36. It will be observed that the lower edge of each division plate 39 bears against the sup port 3 L immediately below one of the pairs of forwardly projecting lugs 35, the cooperation of the lugs 35 and the inwardly turned edge 39 of the division plate cooperating to effectually prevent an inserted card from passing downwardly behind the division plate.

The series of division plates having been arranged in the relation described upon the support 34', the channel form retaining members-30+31 are brought into position so as to house the marginal-tongues 36 and the ends of the overlapping division plates bers form a forward abutment for the upper Fig. 7 each having I move away from the supporting rear wall 3 1 without first moving the upper portion of the division plate. clear of the tongue 36 toward and from trated in Fig. 1 which may be mounted in any convenientlocation and which serves to preserve the inserted cards for ready and convenient reference.

In Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive is shown a slightly modified form of construction in so far as the mounting of the division plates upon the support is concerned. In that form of the construction previously division plates, held rigidly in fixed position by the flanges 30 of the retaining members; whereas in described, the

that form of the construction shown in Figs.

9 to 12 inclusive the division plates are, in effect, .hingedly connected to the support near their bottom edges in such manner as to provide for-movement toward and from the support, thus conferring a certain degree of elasticity as to capacity.

In this form of construction, as clearly shown in Fig. 10, the support 34 is provided with two or more vertical series of horizontally alined slots 41 and the division plates 42 are provided along their lower edge with rearwardly extending tongues l3 adapted to enter said slots. In this form of construction the position of the division plates is not fixed, but they may move toward and from the support limited only by theretaining flanges of the retaining members 30 or by the inturned flanges 34 of the supporting plate or wall. of the division plates is also free to move the support 3% as the tongues '43. may slide inwardly and outwardly of the slot ll. It is thus made possible to place within one of the pockets two or more cards by moving the division plate outwardly and encroaching slightly upon the capacity of the next adjacent pocket.

In Figs. 5 and 11 a are exemplified the manner in which two vertical series of pockthus arranged in multiple, with the attend-' ant increase 111 weight, or where the series are of exceptional vertical height, it is ad visable to strengthen the wing portions 26 and 27' of the cap and base plates 28-29 by reinforcing corrugations 48 r as most clearlyshown in Fig. 12.

I claim:

1. In a card file, a support having averwhen once assembled, are,

The lower edge tical series ofhorizontally alinedloutstanding marginal tongues, thetongues provided with gaged within the slot .of said tongues and with they plate-resting against. an adjacent tongue, whereby to space the plates apart.

2.111 a card file, :a support havinga vertical series of horizontally alined outstanding marginal tongues, the tongues under- 1 maintain the same in cut to provide a slot adjacent the plane of the support, and a series of overlapping divisionrplates each having a vertical slot at each end arranged totake over thetongues with the lower wall engaged within the slot thereof and with the plate resting against an upper tongue whereby to space the plates apart, and a channel form retaining member housing the ends of the division lation.

Ina card file, a support having a ver tical series of horizontally alined outstanding marginal tongues, the tongues provided with a slot adjacent the plane of the support, and a series dfuoverlapping division plates each having a vertical slot at each end arranged to take over two of the tongues with a wall engaged within the slot of one of said tongues and with the plate resting against the next adjacent tongue, whereby to space the plates apart;

4:.In a card file, a support having a vertical series of horizontally alined outstanding marginal tongues, the tongues provided with a slot adjacent the plane of the sup port, and a series of overlapping division plates each having a vertical slot at each end arranged to take over two of the tongues with a wall engaged within the slot of one of said tongues and with the plate resting against the next adjacent tongue, whereby to space the plates apart, and a retaining member housing the two ends of the division plate to maintain the same in properly spaced relation. 7

5. In a card file, a support having a vertical series of horizontally alined outstanding marginal tongues, the tongues undercut to provide a slot adjacent the plane of the support, and a series of overlapping division plates each having a vertical slot at each end arranged to take over two of the ton es with the lower wall engaged within the slot of the lower one thereof and with the plate resting against the next upper tongue, whereby to space the plates apart.

6. In a card file, a support having a vertical series of horizontally alined outstanding marginal tongues, the tongues undercut to provide a slot adjacent the plane of the support, and a series of overlapping division plates each having a vertical slot at each properly spaced replate to end arranged to talre over twoof the tongues with the lowerwall engaged within the slot, and with the plate:

of the lower one thereof resting against the next upper tongue, whereby to space the plates apart, and a channel form retaining memberhousing the ends of the divisionhplate to maintain the,

same in properly spaced relation.

7,. In a card file, a support having a vertical series of horizontally alined forwardly projecting lugs and outstanding marginal tongues, the tongues undercut to providea slot adjacent the plane of-the support, and a series of overlapping. division plates having .a vertical slot at each endarranged to take over two of the slots with the lower wall engagedwithin theslot of the lower one thereof and with the :plate resting against the next upper-tongue, the lower edge of the plate bearing against'two of the forwardly projecting lugs, and a channel form retaining member housing the ends of the division platealong each margin thereof whereby to space the plates apart and to maintain the same in properly spaced relation.

f 8. In a-cardfile, a support having a vertical series of horizontally alinedforwardly projecting lugs and vertical series of horizontally alined outstanding marginal tongues, the tongues being vertically spaced apart and the interspaces corresponding horizontally with the forwardly projecting lugs, the tongues undercut to provide a slot adjacent the plane of the support, a series of overlapping division plates each having a rearwardly turned lower edge to bear against the lug and a vertical slot at each end arranged to take over two of the tongues with the lower wall engaged within the slot of the lower one thereof and with the plate resting against the next upper tongue, and channel form retaining members housing the two ends of the division plates whereby to maintain the plates in proper spaced rela tion.

9. In a card file, a support having a vertical series of horizontally alined forwardly projecting lugs and a vertical series of -horizontally alined outstanding marginal tongues, the tongues being vertically spaced apart and the interspaces corresponding horizontally with the forwardly projecting lugs, the tonguesundercut to provide a slot adjacent the plane of the support, a series of overlapping division plates each having a rearwardly turned lower edge to bear against the lug and a vertical slot at each end arranged to take over two of the tongues with the lower wall engaged within the slot of the lower one thereof and with the plate resting against the next upper tongue, and channel form retaining members housing the two ends of the division plates whereby to maintain the plates in proper spaced relation, a cap plate and a base plate having {topics of this patent may be obtained for downwardly turned flanges embracing the support and retaining members, said cap and base platehaving projecting wing portions to form supports for mountlng the file.

I l0. Ina card file, asuppoit having horizontally alined pairs of outstanding marginal tongues arranged in vertical series, a plurality of overlapping division plates havingadjacent each end a vertical slot, the slots of the plates taking over a horizontally alined pair of tongues and the plates bearing rearwardly against the edge of the pair of. tongues next above, and means to house theends of the several plates. '11. In a card file, a support having horizontally alined pairs of outstanding mar ginal tongues arranged in vertical series,a plurality of overlapping division'plates having adjacent each end a vertical slot, the slots of the plates taking over a horizontally alined pair of tongues and the plates bearing rearwardly against the edge of the pair of tongues next above, and channel-form retaining members housing the ends of the several plates.- .v

12. In a card file,'a support having horizontally alined pairs of outstanding marginal tongues arranged in vertical series, a

13. In a card file, a support having horizontallyalined pairs of outstanding marginal tongues arranged in vertical series, a plurality of overlapping division plates having adjacent each end a vertical slot, the slots of the plates taking over a horizontally alined pair of tongues and the plates bearing rearwardly against the edge of the pair of tongues next above, means to anchor to gether the lower edges of the plates and the support wherebyto close ofi' the space there between, and channel-form retaining members housing the ends ofthe several plates.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of a subscribing witness.

\ WILLIAM H. HALL.

,Witness:

MARY G. Bnownii;

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

